Buffalo Bills News - January 29, 2001

Cleveland is second stop for Lewis, Fox [6:25 AM]Akron Beacon Journal reports:
'Lewis will interview today with Buffalo to be the team's head coach, then visit the Browns tomorrow. New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox will interview with the Bills tomorrow and the Browns on Wednesday. Lewis is believed to be the leading candidate for both the Bills and the Browns.'

Norwood's Life Took Wide Right Turn [5:39 AM]Hartford Courant reports:
'"I had a lot of great seasons in Buffalo. I had many game-winners and went to the Pro Bowl, but this is strongly associated. I certainly don't well up emotionally as much as I did years ago."'

Lewis, Fox in Line for Coaching Jobs [5:12 AM]Washington Post reports:
'Several league sources said Sunday they expect Lewis to pick Buffalo. Ravens Coach Brian Billick bypassed Cleveland's head coaching job when he left the Minnesota Vikings to go to Baltimore, and some NFL executives say they expect Billick to steer Lewis away from Browns President Carmen Policy and Director of Football Operations Dwight Clark.'

January 28, 2001

Levy had hunch he'd get into Hall [8:44 PM]ESPN reports:
'"I've been surrounded by some wondrous athletes, some great people," he said. "What a group of warriors I coached and I don't just mean the Hall of Fame stars. They were great fellas with the stoutest of hearts. Win or lose, they were still my guys."'

Bills & Browns gear up for Lewis fight [12:41 PM]NFLScoop reports:
'Within the next 24 hours, both defensive coordinators will be scheduling interviews with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. "We were told that Marvin has an interview set for the day or second day after the game and that he won't be leaving without the head job," an NFL executive revealed to Sports Writers Direct.'

A decade later, Norwood still fields those questions [9:25 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Jim Nantz got an invitation this month that might have been even tougher to get than the one he received for a black tie and boots inaugural ball for his old golfing buddy, President George W. Bush. Scott Norwood, the former Buffalo Bills kicker, invited Nantz to interview him about the memories of the Bills' 20-19 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV.'

Bills' Adams has good feeling about working with Donahoe [9:24 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"Naturally, I was concerned who the new man was going to be," admitted Adams, who has two years to run on his contract. "There would have been some people I wouldn't have felt good about working with. Tom Donahoe was not one of those. I've known Tom from meetings and games like the Senior Bowl and I know his reputation - a guy who works hard and is not an ego guy."'

Salary Cap Solution: Part II [9:20 AM]Shout! reports:
'Household roster names like Phil Hansen, Henry Jones, Chris Mohr, Joe Panos and Sam Rogers have all been mentioned as likely candidates to seek alternate color uniforms and helmets. The cap is also mentioned as the prime reason that Buffalo's nationally famous dysfunctional duo will see the end to their convoluted relationship...'

Williams decides Browns don’t fit [8:59 AM]Canton Repository reports:
'"It went well enough, I think, that I'm pulling my name out of Cleveland," Williams told the Nashville Tennessean before heading to Tampa for the Super Bowl. This hardly squared with reports that Lewis, not Williams, is Donahoe's top choice to coach the Bills.'

Levy Bowled Over After Earning Place in Canton [8:37 AM]New York Daily News reports:
'The irony of being back in the same place 10 years later didn't escape Levy. And while yesterday's news at least gave him some good memories to take from this city, it couldn't completely take away the sting of his Super Bowl defeats.'

Levy elected to Hall of Fame [8:14 AM]Chicago Tribune reports:
'Marv Levy's journey has taken him from the South Side of Chicago to the hallowed sanctuary of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.'

Norwood isn't running from miss [7:32 AM]St. Petersburg Times reports:
'Norwood said he never was demonized in Buffalo. "They've always been supportive. ... The fans in Buffalo saw me as somebody who had a great career up there, won a lot of football games for them, was an All-Pro and handled myself well in the community," he said.'

Time has helped Norwood cope [7:22 AM]Tampa Tribune reports:
'"Time has muted a lot of those emotions," Norwood said. "I'm still probably of the feeling that a lot of the questions that I'm answering even today are ones I've answered so many times. I can appreciate from [the media's] perspective why it has to be done, but you also have to understand my position that I'm the one that answers them. It may be fresh to you but over and over, I'm the one that has to answer them."'

Levy: This Time, It's Good [6:52 AM]Hartford Courant reports:
'"Gratitude is the first one. Especially to the Hall of Fame selectors, but to everybody who made it possible. That includes the Buffalo Bills fans so much. They played such a key part to the thrilling decade that I spent there."'

Bills' Levy is voted into Hall of Fame [6:22 AM]D and C reports:
'"It's so great to finally have something to celebrate on a Super Bowl weekend," said Levy, alluding to his team's four Super Bowl losses in the 1990s -- including a 20-19 defeat against the New York Giants 10 years ago in the same city as this year's game, Tampa, Fla.'

Hall of Fame beckons Levy [6:22 AM]D and C reports:
'On Aug. 4, Levy will become only the third member of the Buffalo Bills organization (O.J. Simpson and Billy Shaw are the others) and only the 11th coach in NFL history to receive a Hall of Fame bust.'

There's no avoiding those two painful words [6:21 AM]D and C reports:
'"You're clicking the remote and that damn lowlight comes up, and you pray that one freaking time that kick will hook just a few feet to the left," says Jim Kelly, the quarterback of all four Bills Super Bowl teams. "But it never does. It's always wide right." Then. Now. Forever.'

Norwood Returns to Site of Super Miss [12:03 AM]ESPN reports:
And so it beings...... Bills fans with less intestinal fortitude may wish go shopping or skiing on Sunday - as Super Bowl coverage is certainly going to bring back a lot of painful memories.

January 27, 2001

Lewis, Fox coveted for defensive minds [10:40 PM]ESPN reports:
'Now, Fox and Lewis are hotter than hot. The Browns and Bills are set to go on the offensive Sunday night for Fox and Lewis. The Browns have the money. The Bills have a friend of theirs in high places -- team president Tom Donahoe, who worked with Lewis and Fox in Pittsburgh.'

Canton call [7:18 PM]Fox Sports reports:
'Justice was served on Saturday when Marv Levy made the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Bill Parcells did not.'

Marv Levy's Biography [1:15 PM]Pro Football Hall of Fame reports:
'In 1986, when Marv Levy was chosen to direct the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills, he brought with him more than 30 years of coaching experience. A graduate of Coe College, Levy began his pro coaching career in 1969 as kicking teams coach for the Philadelphia Eagles...'

Marv Levy enters Hall of Fame [1:09 PM]AP reports:
'Marv Levy, who coached four straight Buffalo Super Bowl teams, and six players including longtime nominees Lynn Swann and Ron Yary were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.'